Apparatus for feeding strip



March 13, 1956 A. J. FRIEDL ET AL APPARATUS FOR FEEDING STRIP 3 Sheets-Sheet Filed Aug. 8 1951 I lnuenioxi:

March 13, 1956 A. .1. FRlEDL E AL APPARATUS FOR FEEDING STRIP 3 Sheets-Sheet Filed Aug. 8 1951 March 1956 A. .1. FRIEDL ET AL APPARATUS FOR FEEDING STRIP 3 SheetsSheet 3 Filed Aug. 8, 1951 I Q i imE Inventors: fl/vro/v J FE/EOL m4,

Kwm E H k w v i f A United St tsP=1 fl APPARATUS FOR FEEDING STRIP Anton J. Friedl and Willis E. Shipley, Chicago, 11]., assignors to United States Steel Corporation, a corporation of New Jersey Application August 8, 1951, Serial No. 240,962 A 4 Claims. (Cl. 271-23) This invention relates to a device for delivering and cutting off lengths of strapping or like narrow strip material from a roll pancake or coil thereof standing on edge.

It is the general object of the invention to provide an improved device of the character described which is-simple, efiicient and easy to operate and yet is light enough to be readily portable. A further object is to provide a shear adapted to be mounted on one side of a coil holding rack near the bottom thereof so as to shear lengths of strapping delivered therefrom onto the floor. A still further object is to provide improved means for delivering lengths of strapping selectively from one of a plurality of coils in the rack. Additional objects and advantages will become apparent from the following detailed description and explanation of a preferred embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Figure l is a partial front elevation, with parts omitted for clearness and a part in section;

Figure 2 is an end elevation;

Figure 3 is a section taken along the plane of line Ill-lll of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 showing certain parts in alternate positions; and

Figures 5 and 6 are diagrammatic views showing a section through a selector cam shaft on a plane spaced from that shown in Figures 3 and 4.

Referring now in detail to the drawings and, for the present, particularly to Figures 1 and 2, a coil holder 10 has the form of a cage adapted to stand on the floor and composed of spaced posts 11, connected by upper and lower cross bars 12 and 13, and upper and lower side bars 14, only the lower cross bars and side bars being shown. Two rollers 15 journaled end-to-end on each of two spaced shafts 16 extending between the lower side bars 14 support on edge two coils of strapping 17 loosely confined in the cage. The outer ends of the coils are directed laterally toward one end of the cage by a channel-section guide chute 18 extending between and secured to lower side bars 14. The chute has a separator block 19 mounted centrally thereon.

A box-like shear frame 20 has front and rear side walls 21 which lap the right-hand posts 11 and extend outwardly therebeyond. Walls 21 are connected by an end wall 22 and an inner bridgingportion 23 (see Figure 3). Lugs 24 extend inwardly from the upper outer corners of walls 21. The frame is secured to the cage by screws 25 and 26 entering tapped holes in the posts and bridging portion 23, respectively. A feed roller 27 has trunnions 27a journaled in walls 21. A sprocket 28 is mounted on the trunnion at the rear end of the roller whereby it may be driven through a chain 28 by a hand crank journaled in the upper side bars with a sprocket thereon (not shown). End wall 22 terminates at about the level of the top of roller 27 in an inwardly extending shelf 22 This with walls 21, forms an exit gate for the ends of coils 17.

A pair of yoke-shaped levers 29 and 30 are pivoted side-by-side on a shaft 31 journaled in walls 21 and a center bearing 32 upstanding on shelf 22*. Each lever has a central upwardly extending tongue 2%, 30 and a laterally projecting ear 33 at each side thereof. A pressure roller 34 journaled in the ears of each lever is adapted to press the end of one of the coils 17 against driving rollor 27. Compression springs 35 having their ends seated in sockets in the tongues of levers 29 and 30 and the inner surfaces of lugs 24, respectively, constantly urge the levers counterclockwise whereby rollers 34 tend to establish frictional driving relation between the ends of the coils and roller 27. Both rollers 34, that is, engage the coil ends alined therewith as shown in Figure 3, unless their levers are tilted clockwise against the pressure of springs 35 to lift the rollers off to the strapping, as shown in Figure 4.

A shaft 36 journaled in walls 21 has milled-out portions spaced therealong to form earns 37 and 3S cooperating, respectively, with levers 29 and 30, cam 37 being shown in Figures 3 and 4 and cam 38 in Figures 5 and 6. An actuating bar 39 extends radially of one end of shaft 36 whereby the latter may be turned in either direction to tilt levers 29 and 30 upwardly. As will be apparent from a comparison of Figures 3 and 5, cams 37 and 38 are displaced angularly from each other about the axis of shaft 36 by about 90 and are shaped so that on a 90 rotation of the shaft in either direction only one of the levers will be tilted. That is to say, turning bar 39 upwardly causes the lever 29 to move from the position shown in Figure 3 to that shown in Figure 4. Figure 5 and 6 correspondingly show the result of turning bar 39 downwardly. Thus the selection of the coil from which strapping is to be delivered is accomplished by releasing the pressure which causes frictional driving ofthe end of the other coil. With the bar in horizontal position, rotation of roller 27 will draw strapping from both coils since both rollers 29 and 30 are released to press the two coil ends against roller 27.

Cams 37 and 38 have flat faces 37 and 38 adapted to engage the upper ends of levers 29 and 30 when the bar 39 has been turned 90 in either direction from its horizontal position. Because of these faces, springs 35 are slightly compressed initially as the bar 39 is restored to that position. The springs thus tend to hold the shaft in either extreme position to which it may have been turned.

Levers 29 and 30 have heel portions 29 and 30 adapted to prevent the coil ends from rising above shelf 22 when either lever is in the position shown in Figure 3. When the levers are in the position shown in Figure 4, the heel portions serve to guide the ends of newly placed coils downwardly under the shear blade, thus preventing interference thereby.

A sector gear 40 has a pivot pin 41 journaled in a bearing 42 on the rear pad 24 and an outboard bearing 43 extending upwardly from the outer edge of rear wall 21 of frame 20. A treadle bar 44 having a pedal 45 thereon is secured to the gear and extends beyond the forward wall 22. It is normally held in the position illustrated in solid lines by a tension spring 46 anchored thereto and to the adjacent post 11 of the cage. A shear-blade carrier in the form of a sector gear 47 meshing with gear 40 has a pivot pin 48 journaled in spaced bearings 49 extending outwardly from front wall 21 of frame 20. Gear 47 has a shoulder 50 extending along the lower side thereof forming a seat for a movable shear blade 51 secured thereto. Gear 47 also has an extension 47 projecting beyond the end of blade 51, which works between the edge of rear wall 21 of frame 20 and a vertical keeper or guide bar 52 secured thereto. A hardened steel bearing button 53 carried in extension Patented Mar. 13, 1956- 47 rides on the inner face of bar 52 to insure proper cooperation of the cutting edge of blade 50 wviththat of a fixed blade 54. End wall 22 of frame 20 has a shoulder 55 affording a seat for blade 54 which is secured thereto.

When treadle 44 is forced downwardly, gears 40 and 47 cause the curved lower edge of blade 50 to cooperate with blade 53 in executing a progressive cut which shears off the end of any coil of strapping which may have been fed out over shelf 22. When treadle 43 is released, it will be pulled up to its initial position by spring 46. This position is determined by the engagement of extension 47 with the overhanging bottom of outboard bearing 43 to which the upper end of bar 52 is secured.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that our invention is characterized by simplicity of construction and efiic'iency in operation. The coil-holding cage with the feed mechanism and shear are readily portable even when loaded. Selection of either of two coils for a feed ing operation is accomplished simply by kicking bar 39 downwardly or upwardly. In addition, strapping may be fed from both coils simultaneously if desired. The shear operating parts are designed to afford a high mechanical advantage.

Shear blade 51 may easily be sharpened simply by surface grinding its inner face. Blade 54 is symmetrical about the holes for its securing screws so all four edges thereof may be utilized in turn. The heels of the levers mounting the pressure rolls hold the coil ends down during shearing and when strapping is being fed from only one coil, positively grip the end of the other. The button 53 on extension 47* of sector gear 47, in cooperation with guide bar 52, maintains accurate meeting of the edges of the two shear blades.

Although we have disclosed herein the preferred embodiment of our invention, we intend to cover as well any change or modification therein which may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

We claim:

1. Strip-feeding means comprising a box adapted to be fitted to one side of a coil-holding cage, said box having spaced side walls adapted to be secured to said cage and an end wall of lesser height than said side walls extending therebetween and forming an exit gate for strip pulled from coils in said cage, a horizontal driving roller iournaled in said side walls on an axis below the upper edge of the end wall so the top of the roller is substantially at the level of the upper edge of said end wall, a plurality of yoke-shaped levers pivoted side-by-side between said side walls adjacent the upper edge of said end wall and extending upwardly therefrom, a pressure roller journaled in each lever adapted to press a strip into frictional engagement with said driving roller and spring means adjacent the top of said sidewalls urging each lever toward. said driving roller.

2. The apparatus defined by claim 1 characterized by each of said levers having a heel portion extending thereacross adjacent the upper edge of said end wall and defining therewith a guide slot for the strip fed from said coils.

3. The apparatus defined by claim 1 characterized by a lug extending inwardly from each side wall of said box adjacent the top thereof, each lug having a socket therein opening toward the interior of the box, said spring means being seated in said sockets.

4. The apparatus defined by claim 1 characterized by a guide chute mounted in said cage and positioned to direct strip into the nip between the driving roller and the pressure rollers.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 101,220 Booth Mar. 29, 1870 196,987 McMillan Nov. 13, 1877 718,023 Poole Jan. 6, 1903 1,317,383 Northrop Sept. 30, 1919 1,503,164 Kudler et al. July 29, 1924 1,727,208 Bombard et al. Sept. 3, 1929 1,821,899 Schneider Sept. 1, 1931 1,967,362 Johnson July 24, 1934 2,001,597 Caps et al. May 14, 1935 2,148,026 Krueger Feb. 21, 1939 2,586,383 Rieger Feb. 19, 1952 2,641,470 Friedl June 9, 1953 

